Nursing Schools With the Highest Acceptance Rates

Many aspiring nursing students fear that they won’t be able to get into a competitive nursing program because they have a lower GPA or not enough extracurriculars on their resumes. 

Many nursing programs are indeed highly competitive, and many of those have significantly more applications than they could possibly accept. But if you have your heart set on becoming a nurse, don’t lose faith! We’ve put together a list of nursing programs with a strong track record of producing excellent nurses - and these programs also have very high acceptance rates!

Nurse.org does not specifically endorse any of these schools, but, we want to provide helpful information about nursing programs to help prospective students reach their career dreams. 

Keep in mind that whatever nursing program you choose, you need to make sure it is an accredited program. Accreditation is a standardized process that evaluates nursing programs to determine if they meet specific state and national standards. 

Each school or program must be accredited by one of the following:

• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), and 

• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 

Nurse.org may be compensated by some of the nursing schools we review. However, this does not affect our review process or the ratings these schools receive. All reviews are created independently by our editorial team. We review partner schools as well as schools we do not work with.

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10 Easiest Nursing Schools to Get Into (Based on Acceptance Rates) 

The schools on this list were chosen based on the following factors:

• High acceptance rates

• Must be accredited by ACEN or CCNE

• More student accessibility for students with lower grades/ nursing entrance exams  and other prerequisites

If nursing is the career you’ve always wanted but didn’t think you had the prerequisites for acceptance, read this list of ten nursing schools with the highest acceptance rates!

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1. Rasmussen University Nursing School

• Acceptance Rate: 100% (for students who meet admission requirements)

• Tuition: $155 to $865 per credit hour

• School Requirements:

  • Rasmussen University has a 100% acceptance rate for students who complete the required application and education requirements. There are no waitlists or pre-requisite courses at most of their 23 campus locations.

  • Students must complete the following for acceptance into the program:

    • Attend a nursing information session

    • Complete an online application

    • Take an entrance placement exam, or TEAS exam (students may be exempt from this step depending upon the program and transfer credit)

    • Complete a background check 

    • Turn in any previous college transcripts

• Degrees:

  • Practical Nursing Diploma 

  • Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN)

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) 

  • BSN (2nd degree)

  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

  • RN to BSN

  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

>> Related: Rasmussen University Nursing Review

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2. Aspen University 

• Acceptance Rate: 100% (for students who meet admission requirements)

• Tuition: $150 to $375 per credit hour

• School Requirements:

  • Aspen University’s Nursing program has a 100% acceptance rate for students who complete the required application and education requirements. There are no waitlists or pre-requisite courses at most locations.

  • Students must provide the following for acceptance into the program:

    • Completed application

    • High school transcripts or at least 15 credits of college-level coursework)

    • Official transcripts for all previous college credits earned

    • GED applicants can  enroll as continuing education (non-degree seeking) students and complete prerequisite courses before reapplying for the BSN Pre-Licensure program

    • A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 is required for all previous high school or college credits

    • HESI A2 exam scores 

    • Submission of a fingerprint clearance card

• Degrees:

  • BSN (Pre-Licensure)

  • RN to BSN

  • MSN

    • Forensic Nursing

    • Informatics

    • Nursing Administration and Management

    • Nursing Education

    • Public Health

  • RN to MSN - Forensic Nursing

  • RN to MSN Informatics

  • RN to MSN - Nursing Administration and Management

  • RN to MSN - Nursing Education

  • RN to MSN - Public Health

  • DNP

>> Related: Aspen University Nursing School Review

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3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

• Acceptance Rate: 83% (for students who meet admission requirements)

• Tuition: Full-time (12-17 Hours): $14,278 per semester

• Requirements for BSN Program:

  • Students must complete required prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better.

  • If positions are limited, additional consideration goes to students’ ACT, SAT, GPA, and other test scores in making decisions for admission.

  • Students also have three attempts to earn a TEAS  exam score of 70% 

• Degrees:

  • LPN to BSN

  • RN to BSN

  • BSN

  • MSN

  • DNP

4. Western Governors University 

• Acceptance Rate: 100% (for students who meet admission requirements)

• Tuition: 

  • The cost depends on how fast an individual finishes the program. WGU charges per semester, and individuals taking one class will have very similar costs to those taking three to four courses per term:

    • 1 year: $8,746

    • 1.5 years: $12,944

    • 2 years: $17,142

    • 2.5 years: $21,240

    • 3 years: $25,538

• School Requirements:

  • Admission requirements for WGU’s RN to BSN online bridge program include:

    • Have an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing

    • Have a current, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license

    • Submit a resume 

    • Be actively working as an RN at the time of application and throughout enrollment in the program

    • Pay a $65 application fee (waived by signing up for information online or speaking directly to an admission counselor)

  • Students transferring to an MSN program at WGU can automatically enter the program upon completing the online BSN program.

• Degrees:

  • RN to BSN online

  • Nursing (Prelicensure)

  • BSN to MSN Nursing  Education 

  • BSN to MSN Leadership and Management 

  • BSN to MSN Nursing Informatics 

  • BSN to MSN Family NP

  • MSN Psychiatric Mental Health NP

  • RN to MSN Education 

  • RN to MSN Leadership and Management 

  • RN to MSN Nursing Informatics 

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5. Regis University 

• Acceptance Rate: 100% (for students who meet admission requirements)

• Tuition: 

  • Full-time undergrad: $42,084/year

  • Part-time undergrad less than 12 credit hours/ semester): $1,403/credit hour

• School Requirements:

  • First-year students attending Regis University may be eligible for guaranteed admission into the BSN option if they successfully meet all guaranteed admission policy requirements at the end of their sophomore year.

  • Students not meeting guaranteed admission policy requirements are still eligible to apply to the traditional BSN program and have their applications competitively reviewed.

  • Admission requirements include:

    • Cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or above 

    • Cumulative science grade point average of 3.25 or above, calculated from the following courses:

      • Chemistry 

      • Anatomy

      • Physiology 

      • Microbiology

    • Grade of “C” or better in all Regis University coursework

    • Recommendation of pre-professional advisor

• Degrees:

  • BSN

  • MSN Family NP

  • MSN Leadership in Healthcare Systems

  • MSN Neonatal NP

  • MSN Psychiatric Mental Health NP

  • MSN Remote FNP for Rural and Underserved Communities

  • DNP

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6. University of North Carolina Pembroke 

• Acceptance Rate: 91%

• Tuition:

  • In-state full-time: $1,000

  • Out-of-state full-time: $5,000

• School Requirements for BSN:

  • Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5  

  • Students must have a “C” or better in all nursing  prerequisite classes 

  • Students must take the TEAS exam and submit the score (the university website does not state a minimum score needed)

• Degrees:

  • Pre-licensure BSN

  • RN to BSN

  • MSN

    • Clinical Nurse Specialist

    • Nurse Educator

    • Clinical Prevention and Population Health Track

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7. Lewis-Clark State College 

• Acceptance Rate: 79.8% (if admission requirements are met)

• Tuition: $358 per credit

• School Requirements:

  • Students must complete prerequisite courses at an accredited university, complete an application, and pay an application fee for consideration.

  • Transfer students can submit course descriptions of prerequisite courses to determine equivalency.

• Degrees:

  • Traditional BSN

  • LPN to BSN

  • CC to BSN

  • RN to BSN

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8. University of Texas, El Paso 

• Acceptance Rate: 100% (for students who meet admission requirements)

• Tuition:

  • Undergraduate: $ 8,508.00

  • Graduate: $7,696.00

• School Requirements:

  • Although admission requirements are less rigorous, the university reports that their BSN graduates consistently surpass local and national averages for first-time pass rates on the NCLEX-RN. 

  • Admissions requirements:

    • High school diploma or GED 

    • Fill out the online application

    • Transcripts

    • SAT or ACT exams scores

    • Permanent resident card or residency affidavit

• Degrees:

  • Traditional BSN

  • RN to BSN

  • Master's Programs

    • Nursing Administration and Management (NAM)

    • Nursing Education (NE)

    • Nurse Practitioner (NP)

      • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP

      • Family Nurse Practitioner 

      • Neonatal NP

      • Pediatric Acute Care NP

      • Pediatric Primary Care NP

      • Psychiatric Mental Health NP

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9. Cox College 

• Acceptance Rate: 100% (if requirements are met)

• Tuition: $425 per credit hour

• School Requirements:

  • An official high school transcript or official G.E.D. certificate

  • A high school cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher

  • A minimum composite ACT score of 18 or higher or an SAT combined score of 860 or higher

  • The school's website states that if these requirements are not met, you might still be eligible for provisional admittance and should talk with an admissions counselor about your options.

• Degrees:

  • Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN)

  • BSN

  • MSN

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10. Chamberlain University

• Acceptance Rate: 92%

• Tuition: $675- $725 per credit hour

• School Requirements:

  • Complete online application

  • Interview with the admission representative

  • Proof of high school graduation, or GED equivalent

  • Schedule the HESI admissions assessment 

  • ACT or SAT scores must be sent directly to the college

  • Applicants must prove English proficiency

• Degrees:

  • 3-Year BSN

  • RN to BSN 

  • RN to MSN Option

  • MSN

  • MSN  Adult-Gerontology NP

  • MSN  Family NP

  • MSN -Psychiatric Mental Health NP

  • DNP

>> Related: Chamberlain College of Nursing Review

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Who Should Consider Looking Into Nursing Schools With Higher Acceptance Rates? 

Many nursing programs with high competition choose students based on:

• Higher GPA in high school

• Higher prerequisite science grades

• Volunteer experience

• A resume

• A higher score on the TEAS exam or other nursing prerequisite exam

No matter how much you may desire to start a nursing career and feel it’s the right path for you, if you don’t have the highest GPA or the most extracurriculars,  you may want to keep your options open by applying to schools with higher acceptance rates to ensure that you will get into a program.

Aspiring nursing students must research several nursing programs to learn about admission requirements for each. Nursing programs have different admissions requirements, prerequisite courses, GPA requirements, and entrance exam scores. Depending on the applications received, those requirements may also vary from one semester to the next. 

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Pros and Cons of Nursing Schools That Are Easier to Get Into

Students who attend a nursing program with a higher acceptance rate will tell you that their programs are just as rigorous and intensive as more competitive schools. No matter where you go, accredited nursing schools will be incredibly challenging and prepare you to succeed as a registered nurse!

Pros of nursing schools with higher acceptance rates include:

• Acceptance with a lower GPA or TEAS scores

• Acceptance with less or no volunteer experience or extracurricular experience

• Students with a GED may find acceptance easier

Cons of nursing schools with higher acceptance rates include:

• Some private schools with lower GPA requirements may cost significantly more 

• You will need to ensure that either the  ACEN or CCNE accredits your school

Will You Get the Same Level of Education at One of These Schools?

Just because one nursing program is easier to get into than another does not mean it isn’t a great school or won’t provide the highest standard in nursing education. The most crucial factor is that ACEN or CCNE accredits them. Accreditation ensures that your nursing program meets specific state and national standards.

Remember, you are choosing a nursing program that is right for you, just as your nursing program is selecting students that are right for them. Choosing the right nursing program is a two-way street!

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Other Factors to Consider When Choosing a Nursing School

It is essential to consider how much time you have to study to ensure that you prepare yourself for the rigorousness of nursing school.

Essential factors you want to determine when choosing a nursing program include:

• The program’s NCLEX pass rate

• ACEN and CCNE accreditation

• Cost of the nursing program

• Will you work part-time or attend school full-time? 

• Do you have a support system to help you with family obligations?

• Will you work during your program?

• Do you prefer a brick-and-mortar program, or would an online option make more sense?